Providing evidence for reduced sub-regional housing targets under ‘duty to - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

Following the abolition of regional strategies (whenever that may be), the NPPF approach to setting Local Plan housing targets seems to be based on an assumption that it should always be possible to meet identified housing requirements, if not within a single plan area, then across neighbouring authorities in the same housing market area. In Coastal West Sussex, it appears unlikely that identified housing requirements (mostly resulting from projected in-migration) can be met in full across the HMA as a whole, due to a combination of environmental and infrastructure constraints. It is also likely that the LPAs collectively will be unable to meet housing targets currently set in the adopted Regional Strategy. The local authorities across the HMA are now looking to commission joint work to provide evidence on the level of housing that is likely to be realistically achievable, taking account of the constraints and obstacles to delivery. This work would also assess the implications of not being able to deliver sufficient housing to meet identified needs. It would be a high level study that would bring together evidence from existing work undertaken at the sub-regional level (e.g SHMA) and within individual LPAs. It is envisaged that this evidence will assist individual LPAs in helping to justify housing targets and demonstrating compliance with the ‘duty to co-operate’. Does anyone know of any similar joint studies that have been or are being undertaken?